Hello, hello! We’re back with our third and final packing list for the summer, and this one is a packing list for a cruise to somewhere warm.

Backstory:
Earlier this summer, some members of the PMT Style Club asked for packing lists to accompany the Summer Wardrobe & Outfit Guides. Since some of the PMT team members were already busy researching and preparing for our own upcoming trips, we were on it!

We created packing lists for THREE destinations, including a packing list for a trip to Europe, to the beach, and for a cruise! If you want to get your hands on them all at once, we created a free downloadable PDF for all three lists, including checklists and shopping links! You can get the packing lists and shopping links for all three destinations by filling out this form to download your copy, or by filling out the form at the bottom of this post!

About The Trip

Last November, my family and I went on a short cruise to Mexico. I actually went on this exact cruise when I was a kid, so it was fun to take our kids. They had a blast and totally want to do another cruise!

We’re not going on another cruise anytime soon, but that didn’t stop me from whipping up a packing list for one. 😊 And, even if you’re not going on a cruise anytime soon, this totally works for a lot of different trips!

Duration & Setting: 5-day cruise with kids and friends to somewhere warm. (If you’re going to Alaska or somewhere not warm, this isn’t the right list for you. Sorry!)

Activities & Clothes Needed

• walking around the ship (casual to elevated casual)
• pool (swimwear)
• exercise / active activities (activewear)
• excursion to sightsee once docked (casual to elevated casual)
• nice regular dinners (elevated casual to dressy casual)
• fancy dinners (dressy casual to special occasion)
• watching shows on the ship (elevated casual to dressy casual depending on what the show is)

Temps Inside the Ship
When I went on the cruise in November, I didn’t know how cool it would be indoors or outside in the evenings. I also tend to run cold, so I wanted to be prepared. I ended up being over-prepared with too many layers!

Inside the ship, it felt like it was a perfect 72 degrees. I was comfortable in jeans and a short-sleeve shirt. I hardly needed a layer, and if I did, a light layer like a denim jacket or a cardigan sufficed.

 

Packing List for a Cruise to Somewhere Warm

Bottoms:

• neutral pants
• denim shorts
• activewear shorts (as many as you need for however active you’ll be)

Remember, I always advise you to start with bottoms when creating a wardrobe, and the same practice applies when creating packing lists!

Pack two neutral options, whether pants or shorts or a mix of both. Neutrals go with a lot of different tops and give you options without having to pack more things.

 

Tops: 

• colored printed top
• solid colored top
• solid top w/ details
• activewear tanks (as many as you need for however active you’ll be)

I included a mixture of prints and solids to add variety. Make sure each one goes with both of your bottoms.

 

Dresses & Jumpsuits

• casual option
• dressy casual (another option here), or another casual option
• special occasion for a nice dinner
• (additional fancy option if you have more than one nice dinner)

Pack a casual option and a dressy casual option if you want to step it up…because why not? You’re on a cruise! If you want to skip the dresses, pack an additional pair of bottoms and one more top instead.

Our cruise to Mexico had one semi-formal dinner. I know some cruises have more formal dinners, but ours was more like semi-formal to formal. A jumpsuit like the one in the capsule would have been totally appropriate. (See it on me HERE.)

I included the blue jumpsuit in this packing list as an option I would wear on another cruise. (Unfortunately, this jumpsuit is sold out now, since I made this packing list quite a while ago to include in the free packing checklists! Find an alternative jumpsuit HERE.)

 

Layers

• denim jacket
• light cardigan
• (light layer for special occasion attire)

Like I mentioned earlier, I think all I’d need is a denim jacket and a light cardigan. Add a light layer for your special occasion outfits if you think you’d need one!

 

Swimwear

• 1-2 swimsuits (or more if you’ll be in the water everyday!)
• cover up

 

Shoes:

• metallic sandals
• tan or white sandals
• dressy shoe – metallic or nude open-toe heels that go with the dressy casual dress and the special occasion dress
• waterproof/pool sandals (another option here)
• athletic sneakers for activewear
• (slip-on sneakers if you want a sneaker option for everyday casual wear)

Ughhh shoes were the hardest part to nail down, and they take quite a bit of space in your suitcase. This is what I landed on.

I like metallic sandals because they go with nearly anything. I included tan/white slides as one more option.

For dressy shoes, the style I chose goes with a LOT. It’s extremely versatile, and the low heel is easier to walk in. Choose a style like this that’s metallic or nude, and it will work with so many things.

Pack a pair of waterproof sandals for the pool. You can choose a simple pair of flip flops, or you can go for a pair that works in casual outfits, too.

For activewear, pack sneakers, of course!

Last, if you’d like a non-activewear sneaker option, a slip-on style like THESE go with both shorts and lightweight pants.

 

Other Notable Items

• sling
• backpack – huge and waterproof, helpful to carry all of my kids’ stuff
• beach tote – this mesh one is HUGE but lightweight and easy to fold and pack
• wet bag – to transport wet swimsuits
• earrings – linked to my favorite brand
• travel steamer – to get the wrinkles out of your clothes (wayyyy better than ironing!)
• Dramamine – In case you get seasick! My daughter gets motion sickness really easily, but she was totally fine on the cruise. We brought this anyway, just in case.
• SeaBands – A non-medicine option for seasickness. I don’t know if they actually help, but they don’t hurt, so why not?

 

Outfits

I previously made a collage of the tops & bottoms that are in this packing capsule, and I’m sharing it again here for easy access. (Special occasion outfits not included!)

Shop the Packing List for a Cruise to Somewhere Warm

If you want to shop the capsule, the shopping links are below! One note is that I created this packing list at the beginning of the summer to include in our free downloadable checklists, so some of the items are no longer available. My apologies, but hopefully you can find similar things! (And next time, make sure you download the freebie so that you get earlier access. 😉)

SIZING INFO: I’m 5’6″ and usually S/M or 6 in clothes and 8.5 to 9 in shoes. I list sizing info for items in the widget below, underneath the picture.

Clothes & Shoes

Accessories & Bags

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Grab your free Packing Checklists: the Beach, a Cruise, and Europe!